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After Living In The Same Home For 72 Years, Two Realtors Help A 96-Year-Old Woman Unveil History!

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By all accounts and expectations, the housing market was getting ready to boom. Realtors Gladys and Carla Spizzirri, two sisters, were preparing for what would end up being the biggest professional year of their career. One morning, Gladys and Carla were contacted by a 96-year-old woman who owned a home in a gorgeous West Toronto neighborhood. This woman had owned the home for 72 years, and she was ready to sell. What did the realtors find when they stepped foot through the front doors?

A Slice Of History

The very idea of living inside one piece of property for 72 years may seem almost hard to understand, but that’s exactly what happened when Joyce moved into the property way back in 1942. Joyce had moved in as a teenager and it would become her marital home and that’s where she’d stay for almost her entire life. However, at 96 years old, Joyce knew that it was time to get into an assisted living facility. While she was as focused as ever, she knew that she needed a little help getting around.

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The Spizzirri Special

Carla and Gladys had been operating as successful realtors in the area for five years when Joyce reached out to talk to them. Knowing how valuable property in that specific neighborhood was, the Spizzirri sisters knew that they had to help Joyce out. Only, the sisters were a little bit concerned. Joyce revealed that she had made no renovations on the home during her entire history in the building. What were the Spizzirri sisters getting themselves into? After 72 years of inhabitance with no upgrades, who knew what was going on inside of the building?

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148 Jane Street

Despite their reservations, the Spizzirri sisters knew that they had to move forward with the sale. 148 Jane Street was located in a prestigious neighborhood that was surrounded by beautiful property, chic restaurants, and upscale boutiques. For a booming real estate market, Joyce’s home represented the ability to really cash out with a great sale!

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Untouched vs. Unsellable

Despite their excitement at the idea of selling such a lucrative piece of property, the Spizzirri sisters had legitimate concerns. An untouched home that hasn’t been renovated and has been inhabited by a single person for more than 70 years, well, that could spell trouble. Immediately, their concerns started to overwhelm their imagination. Was Joyce a hoarder? Was there serious damage inside of the property that would prevent an easy sale?

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The First Photograph

In their early conversations, Joyce was only able to supply this photograph of her residence. This picture didn’t look alarming but it also didn’t really calm their fears. After all, who knew what could be lurking behind those doors? To make matters worse, Joyce had already put the idea out there that she might not even be willing to sell anymore. After all, she had lived there for so long and after 70 years who could blame her?

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Early Estimates

Still, Gladys and Carla weren’t ready to give in and soon Joyce was back on board. The realtors circled around many estimates after doing their research, all without seeing the interior of the building. They estimated that the home could be sold for over $500,000 all without accounting for what was going on inside of the property. What they saw when they finally got to visit the home astounded them.

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A Living Time Capsule

Needless to say, Gladys and Carla were absolutely stunned as they opened the door to 148 Jane Street. Instead of walking into a waking nightmare, the two realtors seemed to take a step directly backward in time. The entire home was decked out in original 50s and 60s decor. The home was in pristine condition and it was impossible to ignore the absolute care that Joyce had taken of the building.

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Every Room A Picture

Joyce and her husband had made the house their residence in 1942 and it still looked much the same today as it did then. When selling older homes, Gladys and Carla knew that you always had to budget for repairs and maintenance. At a glance, Joyce had made sure that no expensive repairs would ever be required. Just look at the beauty of the living room! It’s almost unfair how beautiful this room is.

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Lovingly Coordinated Decor

Each room in the home had been lovingly maintained and color coordinated. While the entire home was dressed up in 50s decor, each individual section had its own personality. The rule of thumb for real estate agents is that homes over the age of 30 will likely need extensive upgrades in order to hide signs of aging. Joyce made sure that this wasn’t a problem at all.

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Pristine Condition

While Joyce lived alone, she certainly did not allow herself to slack off on her chores. Each surface in the home was shining and every inch of the property was meticulously cleaned and laboriously cared for. You could tell that Joyce treated the building like it was an extension of her life and, in reality, it was.

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A Shocking Kitchen

Despite the overwhelming beauty of the property, Carla and Gladys were still a little anxious as they went to the kitchen. If the kitchen were still set in the 50s, they’d have to spend thousands of dollars upgrading everything to modern standards. That concern ended up being for nothing. As you can see, Joyce had her kitchen upgraded with modern appliances while still retaining the iconic 50s decor.

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Everything Is Original

Not only was the home an iconic representation of the 50s and 60s, but it was also filled with authentic furniture. Everything in the home was unique to the era. Joyce was living in a house filled with valuable one-of-a-kind antiques. Not only would Joyce be able to cash out on her home’s value, but she’d have the opportunity to double up on her wealth by selling some of her furniture!

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Joyce Believed In Her Style

It’d be easy to believe that Joyce was a professional designer in her earlier years, but that wasn’t the case. Joyce just had a passion for decorating and she really believed in her style.

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Visiting The Man Cave

While the vast majority of the home was decorated with a feminine flair, Joyce decided to leave her late husband’s room alone. Descending into the basement, Gladys and Carla got to see how a man in the ’50s might decorate their own den.

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Pricing The Property

Despite the overwhelming beauty of the property, Gladys and Carla knew that they were working with a ‘novelty home’. This meant that they would have to be extremely precise with how they priced the property.

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Settling On A Number

After performing extensive market research, Joyce’s home would end up being marked with an asking price of $699,000. Joyce and Carla knew that the home would likely be refurbished by a new buyer so they decided to start out with an exceptionally fair offer.

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Product Of The Era

In comparison to today’s real estate market, Joyce and her husband had likely made one of the best investments of their lives. The home was affordably built during a booming era of real estate development and that meant that Joyce turned a nice profit.

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The House Is Sold

Thanks to the charming history and unique nature of the home, Gladys and Carla were quick to find a buyer. Joyce was able to move straight into a more comfortable living situation and new buyers were able to start a life in the historic property.